Direct Riga-Abu Dhabi service takes-off

airBaltic and Etihad Airways have marked the start of direct Riga-Abu Dhabi flights with a ceremony at Riga International Airport in Latvia.

Attended
by the Latvian Prime Minister, government officials, airline executives,
business leaders, travel agents and media, the event also officially kicked off
a new Etihad Airways-airBaltic codeshare partnership.

From
today airBaltic will operate an Airbus A319 aircraft four times a week between
the Latvian capital and Etihad Airways’ Abu Dhabi hub. The aircraft is configured with 14 seats in
Business Class and 102 seats in Economy Class.

Speaking
at the launch, Latvian Prime Ministir Vladis Dombrovskis, said: “Today marks the first time Riga has been
linked by air with Abu Dhabi, one of the world’s fastest growing cities, and a
global hub for airBaltic’s codeshare partner Etihad Airways.

“This
direct flight will open up a range of business and leisure opportunities, which
previously never existed. It will
support trade development between Latvia and the rest of the world, increase
tourism in both directions, and result in a range of new connection options for
customers of both airlines.”

Martin
Gauss, Chief Executive Officer of airBaltic, said: “Today’s event is about two airlines working
together, using the strengths and opportunities of each carrier’s network, and
putting an attractive travel proposition to our most important target – the
customer.

“Working
with Etihad Airways, we look forward to making this new route and the
connectivity it offers over Riga and Abu Dhabi a great success, and we will
continue to look at ways to expand our network in the future.”

Also
present in Riga, Hareb Al Muhairy, Etihad Airways’ Vice President UAE,
said: “Global reach is beyond the
capacity of any single airline and our view is that progress must come through
partnership. Today marks the official
start of our partnership with airBaltic, and the first time we have been able
to offer Riga as an Etihad Airways codeshare destination.

“Underpinning
the route are growing commercial ties between the UAE and Latvia. The UAE is one of Latvia’s main trading
partners in the Gulf region and in 2012 Latvia’s exports to the UAE reached EUR
72 million, 102 per cent up on 2011.”

“We very
much look forward to welcoming airBaltic’s customers on our flights beyond Abu
Dhabi to key destinations across the globe.
Equally, I have full confidence that airBaltic will extend their
hospitality to our customers over Riga.”